The Fegleys declined to bid due to aspects of the new lease they called unreasonable, including a $10,000 increase in rent, a $500-per-day fine if the restaurant opened later than 6 a.m., and a new requirement that the lease holder pay for the heat.

"I can't see how it wasn't a factor," Fegley said. "Knowing what I know after these two years of going to city council meetings, I realize a lot of the deals made in the Lehigh Valley are through handshakes and friendships and just meetings and connections people have with one another."

City officials previously said the changes to the lease were strictly a business matter and not a personal decision against the Fegley family.

"The city couldn’t change the price in the contract with the Fegleys without rebidding," Moore previously said. "The city has an obligation to its taxpayers to get the maximum value for each asset."

Noti previously said he intended to operate the golf course restaurant with a "very golfer-friendly and sports bar-friendly vibe," different than that of the heavy-metal bar and concert venue of Jimmy's Place, which closed last year.

Prior to opening, he had announced plans to make improvements to the restaurant building, including a 23-foot extension of the existing bar and the addition of as many as 20 more seats.

Under the lease, Noti paid the city an annual $45,000, up from $35,000 the Fegleys had paid.

Rich Fegley said even before the lease changes, running the restaurant was a challenge because there were light crowds in the morning, and during the winter the number of patrons dropped drastically.

"Honestly, with the rent and overhead, we broke even as Brew Works on the Green," he said. "The customers were happy and we had great quality food, but in the end, it wasn't a big moneymaker."